


Shoot

by oddfiend



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Artificial Intelligence, Body Modification, Hacker!Midorima, Hacker!Takao, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Military!Aomine, Military!Kasamatsu, Military!Sakurai, Original Character(s), Spy!Kuroko, mafia!akashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-05-16 07:08:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14806688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oddfiend/pseuds/oddfiend
Summary: What wouldyoudo if your Chief forced you to return to the place you hate the most? To the people you chose to forget? What would you do, if the past mistakes come swinging full force?





	1. Klaipėda

_'Phantom'_ the voice sounded so close to apologetic. That is, if he didn't know better.

"I'm not gonna return to Japan" he emphasized his home country's name, almost spitting it out. "You hear me?"

He fought the urge to hit something, knowing fully well it would end with ripped knuckles, and he didn't want that.

'We have no one, who is better than you to do this' Commander B was talking as if he was reading a script, prepared specifically for the occasion a high ranking agent chooses to disobey.

"You have Pink!" he hissed, mentally kicking himself for throwing a friend under the bus, but she would understand. She always does. "She, at least, has something that still ties her to that shithole of a country"

'Agent Pink is undercover in Brazil, and her mission is equally important to this one' B's voice was unwavering, as if he never experienced the sensation of _emotions_. The Phantom needed to think of something and fast. 'This is your call, Phantom'

"No, it's not!" he gritted, trying to think of anything except his past. "I will not go there. Period"

He heard indistinct chatter, coming from the other side of the connection and the signal ruptured for a second then returned. 'We just received a confirmation from General Aomine that Akashi Seijūrō has disappeared a year ago and no traces of his presence in Japan has been found since' Commander mentioned _the name_ with such an ease, like it wasn't triggering anything. Well, after all these years it wasn't supposed to, but it still did. 

"So what? Aomine-kun is pretty blind when it comes to our school friends. I mean, he is fucking _Kise-kun_ after all" his hands were shaking in nervousness he hasn't felt in a long time. Of course, he couldn't let any of the emotion into his voice, but it was hard. "You can't make me"

'We actually can, and you know it' ordinary people would just assume Commander B bluffed with a threat, because there was a smile heard in his words, but the Phantom has long since learned to read inbetween lines. He checked if Nigō was alright, and nodding to himself, surrendered.

"Fine, your win" he muttered, trying to sound angry and pissed, but the words came out barely recognizable, followed by a heavy sigh.

He knew Commander heard him nevertheless, since the mic implanted in his ear was highly sensitive, able to register even the quietest of sounds. He was also alone in a shitty hotel somewhere in the Eastern Europe. Commander disconnected with a hum, and the Phantom decided he would surely fuck something up in his apartment once he would have returned from his birthplace. _If_ he would return. 

Akashi missing implied a whole lot of things starting with  _the fucking bastard finally met his ~~un~~ fortunate demise and is rotting in hell_, which was the least possible outcome to the Phantom's discontent, but the most realistic bet was that Akashi had gone underground for _god knows what reasons_ and when the Phantom sets his foot on a Japanese soil, he will be followed. Of course, the so-called _surveillance_ on the invisible agent would be almost undetectable. Almost, because even though Mayuzumi was trained to be like the Phantom, he still lacked the ability to suppress his emotion to a degree where he would stand in front of the person and would remain unnoticed. Something in which the Phantom excelled. 

"Nigō, call Satsuki" even though he didn't need to voice his command for his AI to catch, having his own voice fill the emptiness of the room was strangely comforting. Tetsuya received a vibe of perking up when AI started processing the inquiry and allowed himself to smile warmly. He called the AI he chose to wear after becoming an S-class spy agent _Nigō_ , because he was funny, always excited and that reminded Tetsuya of his late dog with the same name. By all means, at least it gave him a feeling his dog was here, with him when in reality he still couldn't forgive himself for being totally powerless when he died due to incurable illness.

The subtle _click_  announced that he was linked with his friend, which meant she was not in the middle of the job. Tetsuya was grateful, because he desperately needed to hear a familiar voice reassuring him he would be alright. Not that he'd believe.

' _Tetsu-chan!_ ' he twitched a little when her overly excited voice came through and AI lowered the volume instantly. Momoi has long since overcame her crush on Tetsuya, became his closest friend out of everyone in his middle school. She had gone so far as to literally betray her own country to join him in the line of international spies. All of that, despite she had ties to her home - her fiancee was there, her family was there. She still came, and brushed off his questions with a simple _couldn't let you face it alone_.

"Satsuki" he started, unable to repress the relieved sigh that came from knowing she was alive and well. They were on the first name basis for years now, once having realized that if they risk their lives now, they could at least grow closer to each other. "I have to-"

'I know, Tetsu' she cut him off with a sorry voice, and he was grateful. Even just thinking of Japan made him uneasy. 'I tried to talk him out'

"He called you?" Tetsuya was genuinely surprised at the possibility as he hasn't thought about it.

'Yeah, he did' there was a clear guilt in her voice, she sincerely cared about her friend and was disappointed she couldn't talk Commander out or at least let her be there instead. 'But only to tell me you were going there! I am so angry right now! Doesn't he know-'

Tetsuya shrugged, knowing she would accidentally mention Akashi again and once a day was pretty much enough for him right now. "Please" he whispered. "He knows. Still"

' _Asshole_ ' she cried but Nigō was too good an AI - he kept the volume down all the time so that Tetsuya's ears remained safe. 'When I'm back from Buenos, I'm gonna kick his ass'

He snickered. "I bet you could _try_ " Satsuki proudly huffed on the other side of their connection. "But he's a sneaky bitch. Wait, why Buenos? Aren't you in Brazil?"

'I am now' she confirmed, laughing at the comment about their boss. 'I will be at Buenos next week though, and then I'm home'

Tetsuya felt as his body relaxed a bit. They rarely visited their small flat in Ottawa due to never ending missions, but they called it _home_. A thing Tetsuya couldn't believe he found again after everything that happened in Japan. They chose Ottawa because it was a capital, but also very calm and relatively quiet compared to Tokyo or even New York. They also could reach any destination in the world and well, they could visit basketball matches Momoi loved so much. Tetsuya could feel a strange longing in the depths of his soul, like he shouldn't be watching but rather playing. Satsuki always joked he was probably a player in his other life, and he wasn't opposed to the idea. Basketball seemed legit enough to interest him, and maybe if he would have gone out more, tried to socialize when he was young, he wouldn't become a spy. Oh, all the possibilities...

'Tetsu, I'm sorry, I have to go now' her words came out a bit hurried and she whined 'I'm late again! But I'm so happy you called'

Even these little conversations were enough for Tetsuya to have just a little reassurance that he is alive and he is here. He wasn't in some sort of a fucking nightmare even if sometimes it felt like one.

"Of course, Satsuki" he breathed out, running a hand over his face. "I'll call you when I'm there"

"You better!" she laughed and the line fell dead. Once again he was left alone in the stuffy room that bore nothing personal except for his suitcase in the corner and his too loud thoughts.

Testuya was afraid. He rarely felt anything at this point in his life, but that's because he deprived himself from getting attached to anything or anyone except Momoi. After leaving his country in such a hurry that he didn't even had time to explain himself to his then-roommate Kagami, Tetsuya was embarrassed. They rented a tiny apartment just outside Tokyo with separated bedrooms and a cosy kitchen because after school they decided to leave parents' houses and get something for themselves. Everything was perfect, Kagami got a job as a firefighter, following his father's footsteps and he genuinely enjoyed saving people and their pets. Tetsuya had a friend he finally could trust, unlike his middle school company that fell out soon after they graduated and chose different schools. Only Kise tried to keep at least some form of contact between them, but Tetsuya always politely declined due to Akashi's presence at group gatherings. Living outside Tokyo was a good thing, mostly, it was quieter, there were less foreigners and Tetsuya also pretty easily got a job of a kindergarten teacher, while trained for a special agent and a spy. Kagami saved lives directly, but Tetsuya was saving them remotely, doing undercover missions and annihilating those who was a threat to his country. Not that his friend knew anything about his real job, no one did, actually. Except for maybe Akashi, but he always had his fucking nose in anything Tetsuya wanted to do.

 _So you're coming, Tetsu?_ a message appeared right in front of his eyes and seemingly out of nowhere. Yet, he wasn't surprised or scared - sometimes, when Nigō was lazy or wanted to mess with his owner, he would project an incoming message right into Tetsuya's left retina, using the implanted nano wires, just to scare him. Just as his hearing amplifiers, his eye was connected to the AI and their database. Sometimes, Tetsuya felt like a fucking robot.

"Unfortunately, General Aomine" he voiced his message without a need to do it but out of desire to fill the room with something. Of course, he could just think about it and Nigō would pick up and send it, but he decided to screw it. Having his voice aloud brought a strange and unusual calmness to his overall nervousness that only increased when he thought of Kagami.

 _Drop it, Tetsu_ , was sent back and Tetsuya snorted. Just how desperate for his services was Aomine if he pummeled his pride enough to contact his chief first, and then Tetsuya himself. 

"Why would I, General Aomine?" he drawled, standing up from his seat and walking towards a window. The view on the first floor wasn't as good as it was on third or higher, but he needed a quick getaway if things went south, so jumping from anything higher than a meter was a no. "You _are_ a General, after all"

He waited for his ex friend to come back with any kind of taunt like it was back in the days, but the only thing he received was  _That's not funny_ and he was sincerely disappointed.

"Fine, Aomine-kun" he agreed and Nigō happily sent the message, radiating excitement. He wanted Tetsuya to talk to his ex friends, even though he had an access to his memories and knew everything. Still, he insisted on trying to reconnect with at least Kise as he was the kindest of all. "Now tell me, was that your fucking idea?"

There was a long moment of silence before a reply hit his systems. He wondered, either it was because he was right and Aomine was fighting with his consciousness to admit someone else was right or he was dragged into solving military problems. Tetsuya didn't waste time, he strolled to the tine kitchen that went with the room and powered up the coffee machine. He received coordination on his way to departing, and the waiting was the only thing he could do right now. As his plane was supposed to depart a bit after midnight and he stayed awake for more than a day already, he surely needed something to trick his body into believing he had energy to spare. Black coffee, as Tetsuya came to realize, was the perfect representation of him - dark, bitter and always unwanted but rather forced on someone. The pleasure of a vanilla milkshake had gone into history, being a tie to his previous life, to his happy days. He was pretty much a different person now - ruthless, cold and uncaring on top of everything. Or so he liked to think. No one actually had time to contemplate on his behavior or emotional deficiency - his objectives were done for before they even snapped their eyes in his direction. Perks of being undetectable and unnoticeable - the true Phantom - you become the perfect assassin. Despite that, his hands still was shaking after pulling a trigger, usually when he knew the target had a family but the only way to complete the task was to kill. He was sorry and he'd send everyone's family a note with asking for apology. It would be of no use anyway - Tetsuya knew firsthand what was it like to lose a parent, or parents in his case, because of someone else's action. He still couldn't look them in the eyes on the photo he took everywhere, the deep pull of _This is all your fault_   was never going away. 

 _It was Ryōta actually,_  he got eventually and hummed in a surprise. He didn't expect Kise to even remember him. _It's been ten years since you left. He really misses you._

Tetsuya snickered. "Then why the fuck was he trying to reconnect me with Seijūrō? Everything that's happened was pretty much his fault too" he hissed out loud, but mentally blocked the message from being sent. He was just too salty, remembering that if Kise wouldn't try to play a wing man in their relationship with Akashi, everything might have gone differently. _Possibilities_.

"Please, remind him, that once I'm in Tokyo, he will _never_ forget why I left in the first place" he decided on sending Aomine's way and downed the cup he was sipping. He gently placed the cup into the sink and moved to his bedroom to revise his patrons and clothes he had. He needed a full bar if he was going to step in Narita. The locks clicked, as he input a combination and he looked at his things expectantly.

 _He said he would be happy to, as long as you drag your ass here,_ read the last message from Aomine and Tetsuya blinked several times to erase the message, but his AI stubbornly pulled it back again, sending a clear vibe of _They still care, I told you_ and Tetsuya fought hard to remind him that he wasn't talking to them for ten years if not more.

"They care and I haven't killed a man" Tetsuya drawled in a flat tone. "Try something more realistic, Nigō"

The AI sent him a finger and pocked his tongue out. He didn't have a physical body, so any actual human emotions was a code sent to Tetsuya's receivers where they was automatically interpreted by an algorithm.

"You know, you were better when you were a dog" he replied, thinking of his dog. He felt the familiar warmth envelope him again, something that happened every time he thought about his late friend.

 _Incoming bullets,_  his AI informed in a flat tone but the sent vibe was concerned. He instantly dropped to the ground, reaching for his gun that rested on his right hip. His ear gear registered the rattling as the window smashed in thousands of pieces. He didn't bother to put a silencer on his gun since the attention was already drawn and also he didn't have time.

 _How the fuck have they found us?_ the Phantom mentally questioned his AI while activating his eye gear, which switched to the heat vision in a moment. He closed his right eye to balance the picture, and the whole room fell to a deep blue with only orange prints being his fingers on the locks of the suitcase and his silhouette on the armchair where he was talking to Commander and Momoi. He amplified the dynamics, that was implanted together with mic and sent a few sound waves to determine the amount and the position of the attackers. There was cursing behind the window and three hushed voices speaking in, _oh, for fuck's sake_ , Japanese. Tetsuya sighed.  _Seijūrō,_ he instantly realized and initiated a protocol for out-coming intrusions in his connection channels.

 _Fucker,_ hissed Nigō when the faint traces of someone else's AI was noticed. _How?_

The Phantom inhaled sharply, thinking of how he hasn't even entered Japan yet and he already had to put up with his ex-boyfriend bullshit. _It's Aomine. Either the military security is worse than I imagined or he used an unchecked line when connected to us._

He gripped the gun tighter and stood up on the shadowed side of the window, allowing his killer instincts to take over. His eye glitched and turned black, meaning he was in sync with hi AI. Side-stepping the window, he pointed the gun at the closest target of three, whose head was just about to peer into the room. _Shoot_. The other two heads instantly perked up, eyes wide in shock and their hands almost automatically moving to point the gun at him. They weren't fast enough to even have a take at the Phantom. _Shoot_. He slid a hand behind his back to keep balance and with a quick step he was on the other side of the window with a smoking gun. _Shoot_. Eyes of the last one was wide and almost as pretty as the glorious bloody red hole in his forehead, that cracked with a screeching noise when the bullet connected with bone. The Phantom huffed and the sides of his lips curved in a displeasure. _He toys with me then_. 

Left eye glitched again, meaning his AI returned to a passive state and, after snapping a picture of every face, he sent it to the headquarters to alert other agents in the area. Just an automatic procedure, since the Phantom knew _why_ he was targeted and, particularly, _who_. He thought of Momoi receiving this files in the back of his mind and though to his AI to calm her down should he start banging to connect. The Phantom jumped over the window and picked each body one by one to throw them in the room for the cleaning team to worry about. He was so displeased with having to pay for a day more to let the team clean his bio-prints and the shit this stupid assassins wannabe left.

"What's with a plane, Nigō?" he muttered while washing his hands to get rid of the blood. His heat vision deactivated simultaneously with AI so now he had a usual human view. He was running the database to see if any of the bodies was recorded to have an allegiance to the Akashi Family. Sure enough every face was recognized as a Japanese citizen with shared last name - a sign they were from the same family - pity, the Phantom was too angry now to care. The three of them came in Klaipėda where he stayed a month ago, long before he even had a mission here, so the fact that they were here was a pure coincidence unless Akashi managed to override their protocols and align the events as he pleased. Which was impossible even to the mighty Akashi, since their security was impenetrable unlike military's. _Fuck you, Aomine,_ he thought madly. 

His algorithm excluded everything that wasn't related to the topic, frantically searching for a reports where either _Akashi_ or _Kyoto_ would appear. He was geting tired at having no clear answer, but then... _Click_. He projected an extract of a low ranking military force agent's report. He was assigned to one of the dead four years prior to this day, tasked with keeping tabs on him to confirm or deny the relations with Akashi's web.

_'...he frequently registered on board for morning and evening's shinkansen on Mondays and Thursdays for the last two weeks. Interestingly, he sported a patch on his neck every time he got back, but...'_

Tetsuya didn't need any clear confirmation of whether he was connected to Akashi or not. Exact days of the week, trains to Kyoto and the patch were all to clear sign of Akashi's control over this man. Tetsuya was well acquainted with Akashi's habit of injuring people. 

Everything started in their last year of the middle school when Akashi's father decided that he was old enough to get an AI implanted in him. He didn't want that, planning to drift away from his father's business, mainly because that would mess with his relationship with Tetsuya himself. They were teens who fell in love with each other like crazy, couldn't get enough of each other and spent almost every minute in each other presence. Of course, Akashi Senior hated Tetsuya for changing his son so drastically and in order to part them, he forced an incomplete and not stabilized new version of Emperor AI upon his son. Which resulted in erratic behavior and a constant fight with the AI for control, where his original self was occasionally drift away, unwillingly switching places with his AI, which was indicated by the change in the color of his left eye. Akashi always told Tetsuya that he was his reason to keep fighting, to keep pushing the AI away and win over the control, because he would always win for Tetsuya. When AI took control, though, Akashi transformed from a serious, strict but caring friend into a monster who demanded obedience from every single one and if he was declined, he would use any close object to attack and injure the disobeying person. In the end, there was only Tetsuya who stayed with Akashi by the end of their middle school and they planned to spend the holidays at one of the farthest Akashi's houses to not be interrupted by anyone. Tetsuya thought of ways to shut down the AI so he could have his Akashi with no bad repercussions.

Tetsuya's fingers ghosted a scar behind his left ear in a habit he developed over the years. It was barely noticeable, but if you knew it was there, you would see it. It happened during their joined holiday, when Tetsuya believed in his boyfriend with all his heart, and he also believed they would be able to get rid of the demon AI terrorizing Akashi. They were fifteen, and allowed to dream, Tetsuya thinks, not letting himself dwell on the moment of sheer happiness they shared spending the whole night together in bed. They went from a hot and sensitive sex to snuggling against each other, completely crushing all the walls between them, trusting each other completely. Akashi had his crimson pair of beautiful, full of happiness and love eyes and Tetsuya would swear on his life his own eyes were the same degree of warmth, happiness and love. Until he woke up from a pain behind his ear to meet a heterochromatic gaze of total displeasure, fingers playing with a bloodstained razor blade. He felt a bit dizzy and with a shock he noticed the blood dripping on the silk sheets. There was a stain on Tetsuya's pillow, and he touched a place behind his left ear, where it stung too much. His fingers were covered in blood and he looked up to see a laughing expression on his most cherished face. _'I wanted to know, if your blood is as blue as your eyes. I am dissatisfied'_ he said in a flat, almost robotic tone and his left eye glitched from a golden back to crimson. When Tetsuya's boyfriend was back in control, he instantly realized who exactly did this to his love, and depriving himself from panicking he pilled the first aid from somewhere to treat the wound carefully. Tetsuya was silent that day, too many thoughts racing through his mind, with a leading one being _Akashi is dangerous_  and his boyfriend somehow knew what he was thinking. That day Tetsuya went home from Kyoto for the last time, with a memory of guilt stuck in Akashi's eyes, a knowledge about the extent to which his AI can go to ensure his power and a drowning feeling that he lost his Seijūrō forever.

 _Master,_ Nigō snapped him back into reality. _Commander A verified your transfer. We're good to go._

"Uh, fuck" Tetsuya gritted, locking his suitcase with a _thud_. "I so hoped he wouldn't"

He placed a note for the cleaning team that will come here as soon as he would out of area, and exited the room. He had a plane to catch.

 


	2. Tōkyō Pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroko arrives in Tokyo and he is set to meet his unfortunate ex friends. What would he do to keep his cool?

"成田空港へようこそ!*" a woman approached Tetsuya with a forced smile plastered onto her face. He twitched, realising he heard Japanese instead of English and he had to process it longer than expected. Apparently, using his native language got out of habit. "We hope you had a pleasant journey"

He hesitated a second and nodded, muttering something close to 'thanks', then ducked his head excusing himself from a forced polite conversation Japanese people had all the time. After ten years away from Japanese culture he distanced himself from its uncomfortable communication features. Tetsuya kept his presence on an adequate level until he reached custom's exit and then he vanished from people.

 _We have a guest_ , Nigō informed him in casual voice despite noticing the panic, raising somewhere deep inside his bearer. _Please, let it be anyone but Akashi_.

"Kuro-chin!" was heard from the side and Tetsuya exhaled relieved. Murasakibara wasn't his first pick, but still better than Akashi. He probably wouldn't show his face so openly anyway.

"Good afternoon, Murasakibara-kun" Tetsuya turned on his heels, lifting his head up because his old classmate was a giant and even after ten years he was no match for him. "So nice of you to come here"

"You've been abroad for so long" commented Murasakibara enveloping his friend in a hug, and if anyone cared to look at them, it would look like he was going to crush the tiny man. "We've missed you"

Tetsuya was absolutely sure he could go another ten years without ever coming back to Japan. He didn't have a choice though. His AI was frantically sending vibes of 'told you' while Tetsuya tried to shrug off the hands of violet headed giant. "Like hell you did. How did you know I was here?"

Tetsuya's mission was a top secret one, since he was going to shadow-stalk a member of a higher government organisation who was suspected of a national treason. Aomine's organisation had an intel said politician was allowing his personal acquaintances dictate his decisions and also he was leaking confidential data to other countries. His arrival was a need-to-know information and he traveled under false documents to ensure his identity remained hidden. His Commander was likely not in the know about his current passport, as wasn't anyone in their organisation so as to prevent leaking, Aomine wouldn't talk especially to Murasakibara, whom he started to despise as they middle school time ended, and Kise was threatened to keep silence by his boyfriend, because you can't just date a military general and go around telling everyone about secret operations. The only possible explanation to Murasakibara's presence right now was...

"Aka-chin told me" drawled his friend, lightening his embrace, but keeping his arm around Tetsuya's shoulders. _Figures_. "So why are you here?"

While Tetsuya shot him an unimpressed look, Murasakibara thoroughly ignored it and searched his pockets for a snack, keeping his arm around the man. Tetsuya grumbled beyond hearing and tried to throw his arm off. Nothing changed since his friend was much bigger and stronger, so he tapped his gun holder, that was hidden under a layer of a big scarf Tetsuya tied around his hips. If he'd gone through civilian customs he would be no doubt taken into custody for possessing guns and cold weapons hidden safely under the second floor of his suitcase. That is why he was exiting through VIP and business customs where the security was aware of his allegiance - they just checked his fingerprints and AI's ID and let him through. The gun clunk quietly, but Murasakibara got the message and retrieved his arm to shove it into his pants. "That's a need-to-know, Murasakibara-kun"

His ex friend grinned lazyly, finished his snack - Tetsuya didn't care enough to look at it - and showed his own gun holder under his armpit. _Nice to know we are even_ , thought Tetsuya. "Change of style? I'll tell Aka-chin"

"So, you're with him then" Tetsuya didn't ask, just stated, prompting Nigō to update the data on Murasakibara. "Unexpected. Midorima-kun too, I guess?"

"Ah, sadly, no" his ex friend tilted his head to the side, eyes cold and analysing. "Mido-chin got some hacker thing going on"

Tetsuya hummed, nodding, but didn't say much. None of his friends got a normal job, it seems. "Haven't your teeth rotten from that much sweets anyway?" he threw at Murasakibara. "You've been devouring sugar for 29 years now"

"That's mean, Kuro-chin" he showed his white grin with a hint of pride in his eyes. "That's my superpower"

"A useless one" stated Tetsuya as they continued their way out of the Narita Airport. The conversation remained half-polite half-friendly, as if there wasn't tension between them that threatened to flood out at any given moment. As if they wouldn't reach for their guns the moment it snapped. Tetsuya's hearing amplifiers worked non stop to ensure he was fully aware of what's happening around him. He has already sent a confirmation of his arrival to Aomine, so the car that supposed to pick him up would be there any minute.

Murasakibara's phone ringed but instead of just answering, he gave it to Tetsuya with a smile. "It's for you"

"Akashi-kun" he didn't even looked at the screen when swiped up to answer. There could be only one person who would call right now.

' _Tetsuya_ ' came a polite greeting from the other side, but voice was flat and almost emotionless. Like a robot. 'You came after all'

Tetsuya felt shivers running up his spine at hearing a what supposed to be a familiar voice. "I'm genuinely surprised you care"

There was a short and cold laugh followed by. 'Of course I would care for my Tetsuya'

"I'm not yours anymore, Akashi-kun" Tetsuya almost spit out the name, analysing the surroundings, trying to determine which car was supposed to pick him up as he received the specs from Aomine. Murasakibara mirrored his movements, but he clearly didn't know what to look for.

'You're mine forever, Tetsuya. I do not tolerate disobedience' the first phrase could have been comforting if it was said with another voice, a voice that belonged to Seijūrō not his AI. Tetsuya felt ice needles piercing through his heart.

He gripped the phone tighter, feeling anger, disappointment and frustration swirl in his mind. His fingers itched to grab the gun and shoot the phone or maybe shoot Murasakibara or just anyone for that matter but it was stupid to draw attention or waste bullets. He swallowed his feelings down. "Not after you killed my parents"

Murasakibara dropped whatever he was pulling towards his mouth and turned to him in a shock. _Apparently_ , Tetsuya thought, _Akashi doesn't like to gush about his heroics_. That was strange though, since Akashi's AI was a fucking madness personified since he was disbalanced and imperfect but also implanted forcefully. He would boast about something like killing the parents of his ex significant other, because it was an achievement that would scare the shit out of Akashi's enemies.

'I didn't do that. I told you countless times' Akashi sighed and, Tetsuya knew, ran a hand over his face. Tetsuya knew him too well even so many years later. 'You just don't listen'

"Well, if you're expecting me to believe my parents won a pair of tickets on a batshit crazy expensive cruise that didn't even held a giveaway, you consider me an idiot" gritted Tetsuya almost without taking a breath. "That goes without telling that on the same day Kagami-kun received a strange invitation from Osaka to undergo an elite firefighter training course that turned out to be nonexistent?!

Murasakibara watched in surprise as Tetsuya's aura became a heavy one, marking his appearance for everyone. He never saw their invisible boy so mad or angry. Tetsuya suddenly turned to him, and eyeing Murasakibara hissed into the phone "This is nonsense, Akashi-kun. Bye" and hang up.

Tetsuya handed the phone back to his ex friend. Murasakibara was watching him with wide eyes, knowing full well that right now in Kyoto someone was having it hard, if they happened to be near Akashi.

"I'd reconsider your allegiance to him" Tetsuya's voice was ever quiet, but Murasakibara managed to hear him. He watched as the figure of a relatively small man confidently walked over to a black car with a military taggings. _Aomine, then_ , decided Murasakibara and nodded to himself. He'd question Akashi later, when his boss would be out of his bitchy mood.

✣✣✣

As the car pulled over at a military facility, Tetsuya could already see a bright blond hair peeking out the gates.

"Kurokocchi!"

His eye twitched at the familiar nickname. One he hadn't heard for years. He exited the car, thanking the driver. "Kise-kun" he nodded in a polite greeting.

"Your hair grew so much!" his ex friend was all excited, rushing to him full speed. Aomine was left at the gates of the military base, watching with a smirk. Tetsuya subconsciously touched his hair, realising he hasn't visited the barber in the last two years and his hair grew out almost shoulder length. He liked it though, and it was also pretty useful when he went undercover, using his smooth face features and trying to pass for a woman. He shuffled his longer streaks, allowing them to fall onto his eyes.

"Tetsu" Aomine saluted, relaxed military posture, clearly at ease with Kise and Tetsuya around.

His ex friend was all over Tetsuya, but he allowed it, knowing that Kise would do it anyway. That's how Kise was - overly excited for his friends but deadly serious when needed. They walked side by side to the gates, where Aomine hooked an arm over Tetsuya's shoulders.

"Come, Tetsu. We have some business to discuss" Aomine smiled and Tetsuya once again wished he didn't have to return to Japan. This two meetings were already giving him the headache of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 成田空港へようこそ! - narita kūkō e yōkoso - Welcome to the Narita Airport (Japanese).  
> I'm sorry it's pretty short, but I desperately needed the greetings out of the way (though we still have Midorima hovering in darkness) and I felt guilty for not updating for far too long.


	3. Tōkyō Pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The task is given, the cards are open. Old acquaintances keep coming.

Tetsuya was staring at the screen bewildered, trying to comprehend whatever was just asked of him. _They wanted what?_

“We need you to use your ability to get lost in the crowd-...” calmly repeated Aomine before Tetsuya cut him off with a sharp wave of a hand.

“I get that, but _me_ playing _wife_ of a _businessman_? Have you fed off Kise-kun’s stupidity?” the voice was pretty quiet, but both Kise and Aomine knew Tetsuya was furious, from the narrowed eyes to the way his nails clicked against metallic surface of the briefing room’s table.

“We need you to integrate in his surroundings” pointed out Private Sakurai - apparently Aomine's subordinate, who he tried to promote - and immediately apologized for his tone which earned him a stare from the General. “We’ve already prepared a husband for you”

“Brace yourself, Tetsu” chuckled Aomine, patting Tetsuya's shoulder, to which he flashed his left eye black, threatening. “This will be long”

“For your information, Aomine-kun, my services are not free nor they are cheap”

“Kurokocchi~ why are you so restrained?” Kise joined the conversation, trying to ease the tension between blue haired men. “Aren't you happy to see us?”

“Unfortunately, they didn't accept big neon signs ' _I hate you_ ’ in the luggage, so I had to leave it at home” Tetsuya barely moved a brow, tone dry. “I figured that by the age of 30, people learn how to distinguish a 'happy’ and a 'disgust’ face”

“ _Meanie_ ” whined Kise, and the expression on his face was too out of place for an adult that he was supposed to be. “Kurokocchi doesn't like me anymore”

“Ryō, breaking news, he never did” sighed Aomine, shrugging when Kise turned to him looking utterly betrayed.

“Thank you for pointing that out, Aomine-kun” Tetsuya allowed a smile to grow on his lips, but from the short glance at Sakurai's terrified expression, he realised that he probably overdid it.

Aomine only nodded, turning his attention back to the screen, where all the existing information on the politician that Tetsuya was supposed to watch closely was displayed. From what Aomine’s snitches could gather, he was easily bribed but rarely caught by the police, because he managed to find a skillful hacker that destroyed every last bit of evidence of corrupted transactions, making his digital record as clear as one could imagine it to be.

“Do you have the identity of a hacker?” the question was asked in a far more emotionless voice than Tetsuya could ever manage, that indicated Nigō’s working, but none of the attendees paid much attention. As of now, Tetsuya and his AI went as a pack, just like it was ten years back with Tetsuya and his dog.

“We have a wild guess that he resides in Kyōto, but that is all” Kasamatsu - as he was called by Aomine at the start of the briefing - finally joined the conversation, his voice coming through speakers a bit tired but steady. “By the way, nice to meet you, _wife_ ”

“What?!” Kise’s shocked whining came from one of the corners of the room - was he cosplaying an emo now? “Kasamatsu-senpai, you did not tell me you were gonna be Kurokocchi's husband!”

Aomine rubbed his temples, rolling his eyes. Tetsuya couldn't, and frankly _didn't want to_ imagine how it felt to be with Kise for a whole day. Or week. Or moths. _Years_ , in Aomine’s case. Ew.

“Kise, you should be glad you're getting a need-to-know information at all, considering you don't have a rank in military” sighed Kasamatsu, which came through a bit ruptured.

“Kasamatsu-san, when do we get to meet? Both naturally and _artificially_ ”

“Would you like to meet tomorrow? To work on the strategy of our  _relationship_. I'm in Ōsaka now, but I will be back tonight” the sound of flipping papers interrupted him for a moment, and Kasamatsu sighed. “ It's better to cover your hair on the _official_ meeting, because you are too easily memorized when you don't hide your presence”

“Roger that” replied Tetsuya, and Kasamatsu disconnected. _Here's his contact info_ , chimed in Nigō, uploading new data. _Thank you_ , reacted Tetsuya. “Is this all for today? I want to meet someone”

“Kurokocchi-! Don't you want to spend time with us?” Kise whined from his corner.

Tetsuya stared at him amused, curving a brow in a silent question, and then, turned to Aomine. “Is he for real?”

“Ryō, drop it” the blue haired man looked at his boyfriend, a silent relief gracing his features when Kise stood up, dusting off his clothes, and the childish expression left his face without a trace.

“Jokes aside, Kurokocchi, you really need to stay with us when you are not undercover” he stated, not a single bit of previous whining seeping in his voice. “You can't meet Kagamicchi”

“And why is that?” Tetsuya snapped, roughly turning to his ex friend.

“Uh, um-...” Kise visibly deflated, glancing at his boyfriend for reassurance. Aomine nodded and Tetsuya’s blood freezed. _Could it be-_

“He's dead” Kise almost whispered, but spy technology be damned, his ear gear caught to every last bit of the phrase. _Dead_.

“A-...Akashi-?” was the only thing he could manage to say, when his heart dropped to his feet, voice caught somewhere in his throat.

“An accident” Aomine shook his head, stepping closer to support his friend from falling to his knees.

Tetsuya closed his eyes, allowing himself to sink in Aomine’s arms, because his own legs betrayed him. _Dead_. His best friend, the reason he unwillingly agreed to return to Japan at all was _dead_. “I am officially declining the mission and returning to Ottawa today”

This was both the way to tell Aomine about his plans and notify the AI to prepare all the necessary actions for cancelling a mission.

“Uh, you can't” drawled Aomine, but Tetsuya didn't spare him a glance, calculating the best route to his home. “Your artificial intelligence's ID is under house arrest issued by Japan Government. Well, of some sort. You wouldn't be able to leave Japan until we clear you”

“Fuck you” Tetsuya spit, shelving Aomine’s arms off. “Fuck you and your fucking Japan”

Aomine's laughed, unamused, turning to Kise with an eyeroll. “Told you he wouldn't take it easy”

Kise shrugged, looking at Tetsuya storming off to the farthest side of the room, hiding in the shadows of the military minimalism. He was sitting on the floor, head in his hands, and Kise could swear on his blood that he noticed the gleam of tears, falling from his cheeks. He wasn't gonna comment on it, of course. “Kurokocchi, we are heading home in four hours. I can help you around the base, if you want”

Tetsuya didn't even look up, just shook his head in decline. “Or we can visit Maji Burger. I don't have anything to do now anyway” continued Kise, trying to get on his friends love for milkshakes that he remembered.

As much as Tetsuya detested spending time with Kise, staying at the base was appealing much less. He slowly stood up covering his face to quickly wipe the tears off.

“I want to visit his grave”

✣✣✣

_‘Kagami Taiga, XX96 - XX21’_

_‘May the Gods lead you peacefully to the Pure World’_

“This is unfair” whispered Tetsuya, kneeling before the cold stone that bore no resemblance to his bright best friend. Nigō curled up on himself, shutting down to allow his owner some privacy. Even Kise stayed behind, talking to their driver.

Tetsuya has never pictured their reunion to be like this. To be honest, he didn't picture one _at all_. If it was bound to happen, though, he would very much like to meet his friend alive, smiling, screaming some nuisances about _'Japanese Lunch Time Rush’_ than to see his name on the ugly piece of rock.

“Kagami-kun, I'm so sorry” he wanted to say, but the words stuck in his throat, impossible to cough out. The lump was suffocating him, but he couldn't swallow it. “Taiga, I-”

His voice was hoarse, ripping apart, but he still forced himself to speak, because he _owed_ an apology to the person who brighted his gray world, when Tetsuya was sure no one can help him deal with Seijūrō’s defeat against his Emperor AI. “Taiga-...Please-...”

Of course, Tetsuya knew his friend didn't hear him. He didn't believe in the afterworld despite being taught by his culture, by all the religions in the world. Tetsuya knew, there was nothing after the last breath leave the lips of a dying human. At least, he believed it would be true for him, considering how much lives he took with his guns. “I am sorry, Taiga”

He owed to Kagami too much to use his family name when he was clearly saying his _too late_ goodbyes.

“Kurokocchi, we have to go. Daiki is finishing soon” Kise quietly chimed in, as if he didn't posses the most irritating personality out of their middle school friends. Guess, time really does change a person a lot. Tetsuya should have learned that with his own experience.

“Let's go then, Kise-kun” he straightened, standing up and shook off the dust on his slacks.

“Don't you want to visit your-..?” Tetsuya shook his head before Kise could finish. He wasn't emotionally cut out to bear seeing three graves in one day.

✣✣✣

Tetsuya was in Japan for a week already, successfully ditching his tail everytime he left the apartment of Aomine and Kise. Mayuzumi, as Tetsuya remembered, was trained to be like the Phantom, but unlike him, lacked the natural despise to human interaction, which made Tetsuya unnoticeable to everyone. Truth be told, Tetsuya wasn't that hating towards humanity before he became a spy, but being an international assassin honed his skills to a point where he didn't care about where the sight was directed, he could easily disappear right in front of anyone.

That's why Mayuzumi had to keep reporting to Akashi that the sight was lost, earning unstopping threats and dreading the moment he had to return to Kyōto.

When the day of their _official_ date with Kasamatsu came, Tetsuya gathered everything he needed and left the apartment much earlier than the meeting was planned to lead Mayuzumi to a completely different place. When he was sure the tail was lost, he started preparing for the evening.

Nigō was strictly official these days, touching Tetsuya's consciousness only when it came to the work related subjects. He didn't quite minded, relishing in the silence in his head, allowing him to think about Kagami and his past. Allowing him to think about Seijūrō, the real Seijūrō, the one he lost thirteen years ago and missed to this day.

Knowing now that AI was a non-removable addition to the body, Tetsuya knew he couldn't have parted his boyfriend with his nanotechnology when they were still together, and he knew he couldn't do it now. Once the AI is implanted, there was no way to remove it without killing the host. He wanted to hope, but the cruel reality kept following him, reminding him that he won't be able to have his lover back.

Having lost his best friend, even if he wasn't talking to him for ten years, in addition to his unrequited love broke the ice crust on his emotional range, forcing him to start remembering how it was to _feel_.

That's why when Momoi called him about the news that she learned from her girlfriend and fiancée Riko two days prior, he couldn't contain the emotions behind his deadpan expression and broke to tears, wailing about both Seijūrō and Taiga, and how she was the only one in his life that he still cared for and how he is afraid to death about losing her. Momoi wasn't surprised about her best friend being an emotional wreck because she knew that it was bound to happen sooner or later, knowing how hard he took every killing he had to perform and how he shut down his feelings deep inside of him. She wasn't ridiculing him on this, because that's not how best friends worked and she calmly listened to him, until he finished crying and came back to being a flat toned Tetsuya again.

Tetsuya walked in the most expensive restaurant of Tōkyō - how else could they draw attention of the targeted group of criminals. The table was preserved, waiting for one of them to arrive and Tetsuya was the first - habits are hard to dismiss. Kasamatsu was supposed to arrive shortly, marking the start of their undercover game.

“Atsuko-san?” Kasamatsu’s voice was light and flirtatious, and Tetsuya turned to him beaming happily.

“Yes. Kasamatsu-san?” he, or rather _she_ , drawled in a higher pitch, because for this evening he was a woman.

“Correct. I am glad to finally meet you, my dear. I have heard a lot about you from my parents” Kasamatsu was ever so gentle, but his eyes were one thing that could give him away if anyone look close enough.

They were _cold_. They didn't wear the same emotion that he conveyed through his voice. Tetsuya knew that his own eyes once was the same, before Momoi taught him how to falsify emotions - she was the best undercover agent.

“Me too. Can I call you Yukio?” Tetsuya smiled, looking as shy as ever.

“Of course, my dear. Then, may I call you My Love?” his colleague winked, waving for the waitress to come to the table.

“Oh, Yukio! You are such a tease!” he chuckled lightly, imitating a flustered woman.

With that mood set at the beginning of the date, they chatted for the whole evening, discussing his _'business’_ and her _'past’._ Nigō, in his turn, analyzed the surroundings, recording every face, instantly checking them through the base of possible associates with the traitorous politician.

Almost to the end of their _date_ , they were approached by a man, that, according to Nigō’s gatherings, had a distant connection to one of the close friends of the politician.

“Pardon my rudeness” he saluted, kissing Tetsuya's hand in a gesture of apology. He clearly ruined the atmosphere, from his perspective, and being the gentleman he thought he should apologize for his actions. He then turned to Kasamatsu. “May I ask a completely rude yet very important question?”

“I suppose” from what Tetsuya analysed of Kasamatsu's facial expressions, he was convincing enough in his slight interest to whatever the intruder had to offer.

“You’re from the oil industry, right? I was passing by your table and accidentally overheard you telling this beautiful lady about your company’s connection to one of the Arabic Countries” the man helped himself to a seat, keeping a straight smile.

“I am, no doubts. My family has a friend in Saudi Arabia, who is close to the sultan's family. He managed to cut a deal between our little, at that time, company of oil distribution and one of the leading oil production company of the country” allowed Kasamatsu, and Tetsuya noticed how quickly the guest directed his whole attention to his undercover partner. Well, _her date_. “By the time I took the CEO position, we were already in a blossoming partnership with them, allowing us to grow bigger and bigger”

“I'm Misaki Nobura, and I might just have a good offer for you and your business” the man stretched his arm to shake Kasamatsu's hand.

“Kasamatsu Yukio. I'm all ears”

In that moment, Tetsuya knew their fish swallowed the bait.

✣✣✣

Month after their _fateful_ first date with Kasamatsu, and Tetsuya could proudly call himself a happily engaged woman that will soon marry into money.

There was a problem though: he was a fucking man and he was undercover.

Which unexpectedly brought another problem - Midorima contacted him through his AI to appoint a meeting. Tetsuya would have easily declined if only his ex classmate hasn't pulled the _'I will blow your cover’_ trump card.

Tetsuya couldn't risk fucking up the job, so he washed every last remnant of his cover, ditching the wig and laced dresses that he wore to every business meeting of Kasamatsu. Kasamatsu's clothes weren't fitting, but he didn't have a choice, donning the shortest jeans he could find and an oversized _'Kaijō Basketball Team’_ bomber over a plain shirt. As much as he wasn't pleased with his appearance, he didn't have much choice to not get caught, so he quickly pulled his hair in the ponytail, hiding a gun behind his belt and went to the place of meeting, that was very symbolic. The schoolyard of their middle school.

Midorima was easily spotted from afar, his green hair and tallness was something that couldn't go unnoticed in the gray surroundings. Loud orange bomber was kind of a giveaway too.

“That was quite surprising to hear from you, Midorima-kun” started Tetsuya coming from behind.

He noticed how his ex friend jumped and furiously turned around, just now noticing his presence. The other man, that was now more visible, and who Tetsuya didn't quite recognise, wasn't surprised and it piqued the Phantom’s interest.

“Kuroko” he greeted, fixing his glasses. “I was surprised to learn you returned to Japan no less”

Tetsuya squinted, because of course Midorima knew how quickly he left the country and how strong was his resolve to never come back.

“But then I traced everything back to Aomine and it made sense”

“Shin-chan, aren't you going to introduce me to your pretty friend?” the black haired man behind Midorima smiled widely, stepping to the front. Yet something in the way he smiled unsettled Tetsuya. “I'm Takao Kazunari, Shin-chan's colleague”

“Kuroko Tetsuya, Midorima-kun’s ex classmate” he shook Takao’s hand, eyeing him with curiosity. “You saw me coming but didn't tell him. Why?”

“I like messing with my man” he whispered trustingly to Tetsuya. “I love when he gets all flustered”

“Takao Kazunari” drawled Midorima in a low voice. “I will divorce you”

“We aren't married for you to divorce me, Shin-chan!” giggled the man, patting Midorima’s shoulder. “Japan prohibits same sex marriage, remember?”

“Was that me who hacked our records to rewrite the marriage status in our IDs then?”

“Okay, that is _super_ interesting story" deadpanned Tetsuya. “Why am I here? I suppose not to learn that you are married, Midorima-kun?”

“Of course, not” chuckled Takao, then instantly turned serious. “Shin-chan told me you were an assassin”

“Arguably” mused Tetsuya, surprised that they had this information. He wasn't planning to give away his exact position in the world's spy web. “I am whatever my agency needs me to be”

“I have a record of you killing twelve people in a span of ten minutes” Midorima fixed his glasses again, staring directly at Tetsuya. “You are the Phantom. Momoi-san is _the Pink_. You are both spies.

“Fine” confirmed Tetsuya, immediately telling Nigō to trace every incoming signal into their agency’s web to try and find the leak. “How did you learn that?”

“We are the best hackers after all” laughed Takao, directing it at Tetsuya's left eye, as if he _knew_ Nigō was processing the information right now. “We have a task for you”

“I guess, I have no choice but to accept?” he tilted his head to the side, eyeing both men.

“Clever. If you decline, we will blow your cover and your mission will be busted” Midorima nodded, tone flat as if he was stating obvious facts. Which he was, probably.

“Why is that everyone either tries to bribe or blackmail me in this country?” he sighed, commanding Nigō to warn both Aomine and Kasamatsu about having a side mission. “Who's the target?”

“Himuro Tatsuya” immediately answered Takao and Tetsuya could hear the clearest despise in his voice. Whatever that Himuro did to him, was serious.

“Where do I find him?”

Somehow, Tetsuya felt the knot tying in his stomach, as if he was going to hear something he wouldn't want to hear at any given point in his life, no matter for how much money.

“Kyōto”

 _Fuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm am terribly sorry for such a long wait until the update. The summer vacation swallowed me, also Bungou Stray Dogs (waving at AkuAtsu's wip)
> 
> I have an announcement too! We have this cool Discord server where we discuss everything from KnB to everyday's life and we are welcoming new members. If you'd like to have an unlimited chat about our favourite basketball gays or any gays for the that matter, please go to: https://discordapp.com/invite/u4uV5qa  
> (spoiler alert: you might meet some cool writers and artists there)

**Author's Note:**

> okay, I tried to make the modifications use as clear as possible but if you have questions, I'll be happy to explain some more in the comments  
> kk, he is called The Phantom when he is all-business but once he is alone or with friends he is simply Tetsuya


End file.
